The
Final Act Book Two, Epilogue (session 90, 11 th June
2019) The Party: Naergon Harna, elven wizard (Diviner) Mads Rangle, human fighter/warlock (Fiend: Archdevil
Zariel) Jamna Gleamsilver, gnome rogue (Arcane Trickster) Druscilla Oakenrock, dwarven cleric (Trickery: Mask) Once back in their own
chambers, the four heroes refresh and bathe and enjoy a well-earned rest before
assembling in Mads’s room to undertake their last mission to complete his
contract with Zariel in hell. Druscilla casts Heroes’ Feast as they discuss
their strategy, likewise Naergon casts Mage Armour while Jamna complains “by all rights I
should be sitting on a beach, relaxing with servants and drinks and things, not
preparing to go to the hells. When will this be over?” “Just this last thing to
deal with Jamna”
says Mads “this
is my personal problem, if you don’t want to help that’s fine, I’m not asking
anyone to accompany me but I’m grateful for those of you that are willing to.” “Yeah,
yeah, I’ll go”
whines Jamna “but there better be treasure and I want that damn tower
agreement signed when we get back Naergon!” “H rrumph” mutters Naergon noncommittally “ So how do we get to Avernus Mads?” he asks, changing the subject. “ With this” answers Mads, unfolding a
small square of black silk into a large sheet on the floor, “apparently it’s
a ‘Well of Many Worlds’ that Zariel has ensorcelled to ensure it will take us
straight to Bel. I fear we should have used it immediately he died on this
plane but we needed to rest. I can only hope he is still fatigued by the fight
with Tiamat but we should anticipate him being fully recovered and maybe with
allies.” Druscilla
growls “ we
saw him die twice yesterday; how hard can it be to kill him again?” “Well I’m
not a god for one thing” replies Naergon “and his devil allies will be on his
side not ours but yes it should be achievable. At least we have a good
understanding of their powers.” “Right, if we’re
all ready?”
asks Mads “and
again, I’m happy to undertake this alone, there is no bond requiring you to
come with me. I will go first follow me or not I won’t hold it against you but
please leave the cloth where it lies, it’s my only way back” With that he steps into the
cloth and disappears, one by one the others follow, first Druscilla and then
Naergon. A few seconds later Jamna puts down the edge of the cloth and with a
sigh also steps through “ I’m going to regret this” she mutters to herself. They arrive on a bleak stone
platform floating a hundred feet or more above a seething sea of hellfire. Spaced
out across a limitless space under a black and red sky are a number of other
platforms, some linked by floating stepping stones, many not. Above them
fireballs and meteors scream through the ash laden sky and the sulphurous air
is heavy with the screams of distant combat. Many of the platforms have broken
walls and ruins of ancient buildings making it hard to see clearly. Ahead the floating
path leads between a row of pillars, some toppled and spread across the black
stone towards a ledge piled high with bones. Beyond that, amidst the ruins sits
the brooding figure of Bel on a raised dais and plinth beyond burning braziers
and more columns and pillars. [Turn 1] Bel looks up and glares
at the intruders from his seat as Naergon casts Invisibility on Jamna from his Staff of the
Magi. Mads sets his Fiendish Resilience to slashing and moves forward and casts
Investiture
of Flame [immune
to fire, resistant to cold] on himself. Looking over his shoulder he calls out “ Don’t get too
close to me or you’ll get burnt.” Jamna [invisible] dashes up the pathway past Mads,
taking damage from the swirling fires around him. Druscilla also advances to
behind Mads, avoiding his fiery halo. From left and right a horde of bearded
devils, led by barbed devils come racing across the stepping-stone platforms.
The barbed devils hurl flame at Mads [immune] and Druscilla but cause no damage. [Turn 2] Bel stands up and
roars, advancing down from his dais to stand amidst the ruins. Mads hears a
voice in his head “ why are you here plaything? My duty is done, you are no
longer protected by Zariel’s commands. I will enjoy your years of suffering; it
was generous of Zariel to reward me with your soul!” Naergon casts Chill Touch on the leading barbed devil,
which shrieks as its life essence is sucked out. Mads casts Eldritch Blast at the lead barbed devil,
dragging it forward off the bridge into the fiery void. Changing target, he
blasts one of the bearded devils off the ruined platform into the void and then
blasts another bearded devil twice more as he moves towards the stepping stones
on the left. Jamna [invisible] dashes straight forward across the platform
ahead. Druscilla moves onto the platform and shoots at one of the barbed devils
crossing the righthand stepping stones. The barbed devils advance, two hurl
flames at Druscilla but miss, to the right the first barbed devil plummets into
the hellfire, whilst the second hurls flame at Mads [immune]. From left and
right, flocks of spined devils take flight from amidst the ruins and approach the
central platform, the leaders hurl spikes at Mads which impact in fiery bursts
but fail to harm the warlock [immune]. From the right several hurl spikes at
Druscilla but fail to penetrate her armour. Bearded devils advance across the
right-hand stones towards Druscilla, whilst those on the left dash across to
surround Mads, who strikes out with his glaive [AOO] cutting one of them
deeply. “ I
recognise you”
he cries “ you’re
the devils who got me in this trouble in the first place!” [Turn 3] Bel rises into the air
and flaps over the ruined walls to land out of sight on the far platform.
Naergon casts Chill Touch on one of the barbed devils to the right, which
roars as the hand drains its life force. As Naergon steps forward he becomes
aware of the sound of flying things in the air to right and left of him but can
see nothing. Mads casts Dimension Door and teleports to behind Bel, turning he sees that
Bel is accompanied by an ice devil. With a cry of despair, he readies himself [action
surge] and launches into Bel with a ferocious and menacing attack slashing Bel
twice but failing to impress the huge pit fiend [WIS save 30 / 28] “I heard that
Zariel was giving out promotions, I’m here to claim mine!” he shouts. Jamna [invisible] dashes
across the northern stepping stones towards the bone covered ledge, as she does,
she becomes aware of the sound of thrumming wings in the air around her.
Druscilla casts Dimension Door and teleports to stand close behind Mads on the central
platform, she spies a second ice devil to the right. The barbed devils hurl
flames at Naergon ineffectively as the bearded devils swarm across the
platform. The spined devils pour down towards Naergon, hurling a volley of
spines at the elven wizard, the ground around him erupts in fiery bursts but
Naergon emerges unscathed. Another pair of spined devil flocks sweep out of the
ruins on the fringe platforms heading for Bel, Mads and Druscilla but can’t get
a line of attack amidst the ruins. The ice devils accompanying Bel advance on
Mads and Druscilla, Mads swings as they approach but misses [AOO]. The first
ice devil bites and claws at Mads, wounding the warlock but misses Druscilla
with its tail. The second ice devil jumps across the gap between platforms and
closes on them both without attacking. Mads retains his concentration on his Investiture of
Flame . [Turn 4] Bel looms over Mads
and bites, claws and bashes him with its flaming mace, each strike connecting
and wounding the warlock, although the flames and poison have no impact
[immune]. In his head Mads hears Bel snarl “promotions are overrated” as its tail sweeps in and
tries, unsuccessfully to stab him. Mads manages to maintain his concentration
on his Investiture
of Flame .
Naergon sees a pair of imps appear in his aura of see invisibility , they swoop past trying to
sting him with their tails unsuccessfully. Naergon casts Dimension Door and teleports to the furthest
left-hand platform, far behind Bel. Mads swings his glaive, menacingly cutting
and stabbing Bel but failing to scare the snarling devil. Jamna [invisible] moves
out on to the bone covered ledge where she finds huge grilled pits with hatches
set into the floor, some kind of devilish prison no doubt. Stepping past she
raises her bow and shoots the closest ice devil in the back [sneak attack].
Druscilla becomes aware that the air around her is full of small flying things,
though she cannot see them. Pulling out her Rod of Lordly Might and activating
it as a battle-axe she attacks the closest ice devil, slicing through its
armoured carapace and causing it to freeze in place [paralyzed DC 17 – STR save
16]. Druscilla then closes on Bel, growling “I pulled your strings once before devil,
this time I’m a planning on severing them.” The barbed and bearded devils swarm across the
pillared platform and onto the stepping stones leading to the bone-filled ledge,
the flocks of spined devils accompany them, starting to circle around the ledge.
Two of them land next to Jamna and try to bite and stab her but the gnome ducks
and dives out of the way [dodge]. The rest hurl spikes at the gnome, one
catches her in the shoulder in a blaze of flame but the rest pepper the ledge,
sending shards of bone and stone chips hurtling into the fiery void. The other
flocks circle around the fight with Bel, first sending a cloud of fiery spikes against
Druscilla, only one of which penetrates her armour. And then a second cloud
that targets Mads, the ground around him erupting in showers of flaming shards
but none of the spikes penetrate his armour. From the far right another flock
of spined devils takes flight towards Bel, whilst on the platform where Naergon
stands a final flock of spined devils takes flight and surrounds the wizard.
Two of them shoot spikes at the elf, one of the spines stabbing through his
robes in a flash of fire, the others swarm around him biting and stabbing in a
frenzy. The ice devil steps forward and continues to attack Mads, flailing with
tooth and claw but this time only its tail makes contact, Mads manages to
maintain his concentration. The second ice devil remains paralyzed [STR save
14]. [Turn 5] Bel steps closer to
Mads and continues to rend the warlock with tooth and claw as well as pound him with its mace, fortunately the
flames and poison have no effect [immune] but this time Mads fails his
concentration and the Investiture of Flames ends. Bel sends its tail arcing across to stab at
Druscilla but her armour deflects the attack. A pair of imps swoop in and attack
Jamna on the ledge, becoming visible as they do so but fail to connect with the
wildly dodging gnome. Another pair of imps swoop in and attack Druscilla, both tails
stinging her in the back of the neck, but the poison has no effect [immune].
Naergon casts Invulnerability on himself as Mads casts Dimension Door and appears next to the elven
wizard where he catches his breath [second wind]. Jamna casts Invisibility and moves away from the spined
devils to the centre of the ledge. Druscilla cries out “Mads, get back here,
this is your fight not mine!” and swings at Bel with her battle-axe/rod, her blade
biting through the devil’s thick hide. Druscilla activates its drain life
function but Bel shrugs off the effect [Necrotic DC 17 – CON save 31]. The
barbed and bearded devils sweep forward onto the bone ledge, forming a line to
herd the invisible gnome off the far side. The flocks of spined devils ring the
bone ledge, searching for sight of Jamna. Around the central platform, more
spined devils hurl spikes at Druscilla, most miss but one manages to penetrate
her armour as the ground erupts in fiery bursts. On the far-left platform the
spine devils continue to circle Naergon stabbing and biting in a frenzy but
Naergon remains invulnerable, nevertheless he puts on an act [performance 19]
of being attacked and hurt. The last flock turns and swoops in towards Mads.
The ice devil clambers around the ruined walls to reach Druscilla from the other
side but can’t attack, the other ice devil lurches into motion, breaking the
paralysis [STR save 18]. [Turn 6] Bel turns on
Druscilla flailing with bite and claw, in her head Druscilla hears him snarl “ you think you
controlled me dwarf? Only my duty to Zariel prevented me from ripping you limb
from limb and feeding your howling head to Tiamat. I am under no such restraint
now let’s see how strong dwarven bones really are shall we?” His mace and tail also pound
into the dwarven cleric, flames burning her, although the poison has no effect
[immune]. Naergon, ignoring the flock of spined devils surrounding him casts Dimension Door and appears on the dais and
pedestal where Bel once sat. Mads cries out “ leave me, all of you. This is my fate not
yours” as he
casts Eldritch
Blast at the
spined devils around him, slapping two of them aside. Jamna [invisible] runs
and leaps the gap from the bone ledge to the central platform, activating her
Ring of Jumping and landing adjacent to one of the ice devils. Druscilla casts Dimension Door and teleports to the far south-west
platform. The barbed and bearded devils continue to sweep the bone ledge,
searching for Jamna as the spined devils circle above. Another flock of spined
devils swoop around Naergon, spikes exploding all around him but the elf emerges
unscathed [invulnerable] continuing to act as if being hit repeatedly
[performance 18]. Around Mads the flock of spined devils swarm around him, he
swings his glaive, cutting one of them in half as it approaches [AOO CRIT].
Others shower him in tail spikes, several of which penetrate his armour in
fiery bursts. Three more attempt to bite and stab Mads in a frenzy but only one
manages to get past his defences, biting him in the neck [CRIT]. The southern Ice
devil steps towards Jamna and bites the gnome [blindsense], who screams as cold
spread across her back despite her best attempts to duck out of the way
[uncanny dodge]. The devil misses with claw and tail. The other ice devil moves
around, clambering over walls to get at Jamna [blindsense], biting through her left
shoulder and freezing the gnome cold [Critical]. It misses the agile gnome with
its claws but its tail stabs through her upper thigh. [Turn 7] Bel flies over the
ruined walls and perching about 10 feet above Jamna [truesight] reaches out and
claws her, ripping flesh from her back, before swinging his mace and shattering
the back of her head in a burst of flame as his tail whips out and stabs her in
the right thigh. Naergon [invulnerable] steps down from his dais, pushing past
the cloud of spined devils who lunge and grab [AOO] for him without effect. Reaching
the edge of the platform Naergon casts Misty Step and arrives just behind the northern ice devil
and casts Chill
Touch on Bel
who roars as the hand latches on and drains his life essence. Mads, surrounded
by spined devils casts Dimension Door and arrives adjacent to Druscilla on the far
southern platform. Jamna [invisible] screams in agony as she wriggles out of the
devils’ grasp [disengage] and jumps [ Ring of Jumping ] onto the adjacent left-hand platform, where she
staggers to a halt, gasping in pain. Druscilla casts Healing Word on Mads [14 HP] “It’s all on
Naergon now” she whispers “we need to get out, can you run?” The barbed and
bearded devils sweep across the bone ledge searching for Jamna, flocks of
spined devils circling above. More spined devils swoop around Naergon, hurling
spikes at the wizard who ceases to pretend to be hurt by them. Yet more spined devils
fly south towards Mads and Druscilla. The northern ice devil turns and bites
and claws at Naergon to no effect, whilst the southern one jumps across the gap
in pursuit of Jamna [blindsense] and bites the gnome across the back of her
shoulders [CRIT]. With barely a groan Jamna slumps to the ground unconscious
and visible. [Turn 8] Bel flaps his wings
and lands adjacent to Naergon [invulnerable], clawing and biting the wizard and
pounding him with his flaming mace and tail but the wizard stands unperturbed,
ignoring the devil’s best efforts. Naergon looks up at Bel, smiles and says “ eat this devil” and raises his Staff of the Magi
and breaks it across his knee. A wave of force erupts out, hurling numerous
spined devils wailing into the void, lifeless. The southern ice devil [DEX save
24] staggers in the blast, Jamna is crushed into the ground. The closest ice
devil [DEX save 14] is folded in on itself and blown apart in a welter of blood
and bone. Bel [DEX save 12 = portent 4] snarls, roars and screams as the blast
drives him back and then blows him apart. In the centre of the holocaust
Naergon stands, hair and robes blowing in the backlash [invulnerable]. From the
air above howling laughter and giggling wash across the void. Mads and
Druscilla start to run for the Well of Many Worlds shouting into the gale “ Naergon, grab
Jamna and follow us”. Jamna lies very still in a growing puddle of blood [death save fail]. [Turn 9] Naergon casts
Dimension Door and teleports to the southern platform “ it’s too late
for Jamna, now fly you fools!” as he races for the entrance platform and the Well
of Many Worlds, Mads and Druscilla follow. All around them the remaining devils
scream and panic, flying or running blindly away from them. [Turn 10] Naergon, closely followed
by Mads and Druscilla dive through the Well of Many Words and emerge once more
in Mads’ chambers in Waterdeep. “ Careful of the carpets” says Naergon as the others emerge behind
him. Taking stock, Naergon looks at
both of them “ Right I’m done with this. I’m off to my castle to see how
Snapjaw is getting on. You’re welcome to join me although we may have to deal
with a black dragon at some point. Mostly I just want to have a fiddle with the
Farseer.” “Sounds good to
me” says Mads
“ and I
owe you both, least I can do is help with a black dragon and train your
lizardfolk army, eh?” “I’ve never been to your castle” says Druscilla “ but it sounds
good to me “someone said there was a dwarf and a magic sword buried in the basement,
sounds worth checking out to me. Now gather round, I can teleport us to Carnath
at least.” With
that she slaps her helmet and the last three heroes disappear from Waterdeep just
as the door opens and a squire enters looking for them. The End Levels were gained
this session:
Naergon
20 th
level
Mads
19 th
level
Jamna
RIP
Druscilla
19 th
level
In-Game the
session ended at 10:00 on 16 th Eleint 1485 DR